A spike for piercing the cell membrane

Some viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophages) deliver their DNA into the host cell with an amazing injection machine. The tailed bacteriophages (such as T4, illustrated) store their DNA in a capsid attached to a long tail tube that is surrounded by a sheath. At the bottom of the tube is a baseplate with a spike in the center. When the baseplate contacts the host cell, the sheath contracts, driving the spike into the cell membrane. The viral DNA travels down the tube and enters the cell through the opening produced by the spike. The structure of the spike has now been determined, providing insight into how it makes a hole in the cell membrane.